Man who drove his dog mad faces prison sentence

A man who was looking after a dog that was used dangerously during a riot outside a Rotherham hotel has been warned he faces a prison sentence.

Christian Hemus admitted to charging violent disorder following the riots outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, where asylum seekers were being housed, on August 4.

Hemus, 35, of Clarney Place in Darfield, also pleaded guilty to keeping a dog in a dangerous position in a public place.

When Hemus appeared via video link at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, he was told that sentencing would be delayed to allow information to be given about the injuries the police officers sustained in the incident.

The dog in question is still in a kennel commissioned by the police.

Addressing Hemus, Judge Jeremy Richardson said: “You will go to prison, there is no doubt about that.”

Judge Richardson called the case an “unusual situation” and said he wanted to know the extent of the injuries the dog had inflicted on the officers before passing sentence on Hemus.

The court was told that 64 officers were injured in the riots outside the hotel and three of them have not yet returned to duty.

In addition, three police horses and a police dog were injured, but they are all now back on duty.

Hemus will appear in court again on October 3 for sentencing.

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